Monthly Archives: November 2016

Some call it the “latte factor” — small, regular purchases that add up over time. This holiday season, give your student gifts that’ll offset such expenses. Here are just a few ideas:

529 Plan Contribution: Got a college-bound relative of friend? Do the latte factor in reverse. Contribute to their 529 college savings plan. If they lack such a plan, start one for them. No federal income taxes on 529 earnings, and 529 contributions are exempt from federal gift taxes while many states offer contributors tax breaks.

Auto Club Membership: If your student drives to college and your insurance doesn’t cover his or her emergency roadside assistance, various auto clubs will. They can save lots of money in case the student’s car breaks down.

Filtered Water Bottle: Your student can avoid expensive bottled water. Fill one of these from any tap and it’s internal filter will remove bacteria and other impurities.

Cash, Gas, or Gift Card: Help your student cover purchases at his or her book store, grocery, movie theater, favorite restaurant, etc.

Home Cookbook: Students, especially those who live off-campus, spend huge amounts eating out — partly because they don’t know how to fix their own meals. So create a cookbook with their favorite recipes, especially the fast and easy ones.

Piggy Bank: Encourage your to put leftover pocket change in it at the end of each day and see how much builds up over a week, a month, or a semester!

Pizza Dish: Making pizza can be fun and cheaper than eating out.

Popcorn Popper: Popcorn’s an inexpensive snack, and machine-popped can be healthier than microwaved. The old fashioned (not air) poppers can also be used to heat soups and other light foods.

Space Heater: Does your student live off-campus in a northern climate? A small, efficient speed heater can save money by heating one room — e.g. the bathroom or bedroom — without paying to warm up the whole apartment.

Whether these or others, this year, give gifts that keep on giving by helping to reduce your student’s college expenses!

College Affordability Solutions offers expertise in strategies to help reduce what students spend to go to and attend college. Email collegeafford@gmail.com or call (512) 366-5354 for assistance.

Many so-called experts claim college isn’t worth what students and families pay for it. This is especially true, they say, because students must borrow so much and, besides, there are lots of great job opportunities right out of high school.

This is rubbish! Pure baloney! How do we know? Because almost everyone who says it has a college degree. And they’re in jobs requiring college degrees.

Want to earn more and reduce your chances of unemployment? Get as much education as you can handle:

2015 Earnings and Unemployment by Education Level of Americans 25 and Older

Small wonder College Board found that 90% of college graduates from America’s lowest-income families moved up to higher income levels than their parents.

And that student debt? 2015 college graduates borrowed an average of $30,100 while in school. At the very most, it’ll cost them $69,356 to repay such a debt. That’s a lot! But median lifetime earnings for Americans with bachelor’s degrees is $954,000 more than for those with high school diplomas. Result? At least $13.75 earned for every dollar repaid — not a bad return!

Do you want to help make America great again? Get more education. The Congressional Research Service reported that, in 2013, 21% of Americans who only finished high school lived in poverty while just 7% of those with bachelor’s degrees were in poverty.

The College Board found that households headed by parents with high school diplomas were as much as six times more likely than those with bachelor’s degrees to rely on expensive public assistance programs, and that Americans vote more, volunteer more, and pay more taxes as they become more educated.

Don’t overspend on college. Don’t seek a bachelor’s degree if you’re after a career requiring a less-expensive associate’s degree. And don’t borrow more than you absolutely need. But don’t let the phonies fool you, either! A college degree is the best investment you’ll ever make in yourself!

College Affordability Solutions brings 40 years of experience to help students and families figure out ways to pay less for college. Call (512) 366-5354 or email collegeafford@gmail.msn for such help.

With the holidays approaching, merchants and other businesses are looking for part-time employees to help them through their busiest time of year. For college students, such jobs can turn into a great opportunity to earn money that will help reduce their reliance on loans.

Consider Bob, a first-year marketing major. Bob just landed a job at a restaurant near campus. From mid-November through mid-December he’ll wait on tables — not very glamorous, but his 14-hour per week work schedule offers sufficient flexibility to study for and pass all his final exams.

Even after FICA taxes are withheld, Bob’s going to clear $500 in wages and tips. That’ll buy his spring semester book, so he can reduce the spring loan he would have needed by $500. This will save Bob as much as $880 in the principal and interest he’ll repay after college. Imagine how much Bob will save if he also does seasonal work during his three remaining years of college!

To be sure, part-time work is not for everyone. If your student can’t manage priorities or is having academic difficulties, the end of the semester may not be the right time for him or her to take on additional responsibilities.

On the other hand, research has shown that students who work a reasonable number of hours (10 – 14) per week while enrolled average higher GPAs and graduation rates than their non-working classmates.

Bob will also boost his resume by adding workplace experience. And he’ll line up an employer who’ll serve as a reference for future job opportunities — about his ability to deal with people, understand customer needs, and other qualities marketing firms seek. These, too, are advantages of “working your way through college,” at least in part.

So talk with your student about looking into seasonal work. This can be done by visiting the school’s student employment office, inquiring with employers near campus, or both. The results could help reduce indebtedness . . . and in other ways!

College Affordability Solutions offers a wide variety of suggestions designed to help lower college student borrowing costs. Call (512) 366-5353 or email collegeafford@gmail.com if such guidance might be helpful to you.